Nepal | Community Reconstruction Project

14 Night Volunteer Adventure | From $1295 USD

Overview

Imagine living in a house without proper roofing, having no access to clean water, or even a safe place for your children to receive a proper education. Unfortunately, this is the reality for countless communities in many parts of Nepal. From water shortages to the inability to receive education in a functioning classroom, many of the issues pervading communities around Nepal can be attributed to the absence of basic infrastructure and facilities.

The 2015 earthquake decimated much of Kathmandu and Nepal’s remote rural areas. While there are signs that life is returning to normal for many, thousands of people who lost their homes are still living in temporary shelters.The Community Reconstution Project exists to provide these families with much-needed homes, safe learning environments & clean sanitation facilities.

Depending on the project at the time, Volunteers will be assisting in repairing or refurbishing orphanages, renovating and painting of schools or, performing basic landscaping and repairs of other community facilities.

This is a physically demanding project that requires hard work & perseverance, but is also one of our most rewarding Volunteer Adventures.

The Project

In April 2015, the most powerful earthquake to hit Nepal since 1934 struck near Saurpani, between capital Kathmandu and tourist town Pokhara. Measuring 7.9 on the Richter scale, more than 10,000 people are believed to have died from the devastating natural disaster. Since then, many aftershocks have caused further damage with many historic buildings & historic temples completely destroyed and wide spread damage causing homelessness amongst rural communities.

The earthquake has had a devastating impact on both life and property. The scale of destruction is unimaginable. To the people who have worked their lifetime to create build a home for their family, the loss of basic necessities such as drinking water, education and shelter is incalculable. Many of these families live in inadequate accommodation and children attend school in crumbling buildings.

The Community Reconstruction Project focuses on providing these families with basic housing, secure learning facilities for children, and much needed sanitation facilities.

Role of the Volunteer

The majority of work will consist of unskilled manual labour: digging holes, mixing cement and the carrying of construction materials together with the locals. Construction projects that you will be helping with include: soak pits, libraries, compound walls and classrooms. After their construction, it is also helpful to provide teaching sessions about the significance of these new constructions. Due to the nature of manual labour, this volunteer program is one that challenges both your mental and physical tenacity.

Housing

Underprivileged and extremely remote communities do not have proper or sufficient housing. Volunteers can help with building roofs and walls, painting, and installation of housing components. Lack of standard housing is a major issue, and volunteers are needed to assist communities who do not have access to necessary resources.

Water and Sanitation

Inadequate sanitation facilities and clean sources of water are difficult to come by in remote Nepalese communities. Adults and children across Nepal to suffer needlessly from illnesses associated with poor hygiene and contaminated water facilities. Volunteers can venture out into villages and help construct toilets from scratch, dig holes for sanitation structures, build clean drinking water storage units, and assemble water tanks for rainwater collection.

School Construction

Children living in impoverished areas are being denied access to quality education because their communities do not have schools, or if there are schools, these schools are uninhabitable. Volunteers can help perform critical school repairs or assist with the construction of brand new classrooms & much needed school facilities.

Level of Fitness & Special Skills

Although all levels of fitness are certainly welcome, we recommend that MyGapYear Adventurers be moderately fit for this project as your days are often filled with physical labour & considerable time spent up steep inclines & over uneven surfaces.

Another request we make is for you to notify MyGapYear of any special skills or trades that you may have in advance, including but not limited to plumbers, carpenters, irrigation specialists, electricians, etc. This will allow us organise your skill set to be put to good use directly where it is needed.

Need to Know

Age & Required Experience

At least 18 years of age

No previous experience is required for this project. Training will be given and you will work with local masons and other locals who can guide you. If you have special training that may be an asset to the project, please let us know when applying.

Accommodation & Meals

All accommodation is included. For the complete traditional Nepalese experience your accommodation will be a home stay with a local Nepalese family during the work placement. You will have either your own room or a room shared with another volunteer. All accommodations have running water, electricity, WiFi and basic amenities.

3 meals a day will be provided during the days you are at the community build project. All other meals are at your expense.

Orientation & Support

MyGapYear offers unlimited support prior to departure. Upon receipt of your deposit you will receive your MGY Handbook, which includes comprehensive information on Nepalese customs, culture, what to wear, traditional Nepalese meals and important words in the Nepali language.

You will have 24/7 in country support on the ground in Nepal. An orientation session will be conducted on arrival, in addition to a meeting with representatives from the hospital or clinic to determine how to best utilise your skills and experience during the project. There will always be an English-speaking staff member available at the project to direct the group, and assist you with anything you may need.

Child Protection

MyGapYear follows the principles and guidelines of ‘ChildSafe International’ in protecting children from all forms of abuse and preventing child exploitation and trafficking. As part of our mission to empower and protect youth; we require all volunteers who are 18 years of age or over and who plan to work with children; provide a Criminal History printout. This printout is available from your local Police Station and may take up to 4 weeks.

MyGapYear has partnerships with other like-minded organisations across the globe. This particular Adventure is operated in partnership with GapNepal. We guarantee that all of our partners offer the best value, exciting & safe Adventures you have come to expect from MyGapYear. For more information on who our partners are and how we handle your trip please contact us at info@mygapyear.com.au.

About Kathmandu

For many, stepping off a plane into Kathmandu is an eye-opening experience that defies belief. Whether you’re barrelling through traffic-jammed alleyways in a rickshaw, marvelling at the medieval temples or dodging trekking touts in the backpacker district, Kathmandu can be an intoxicating, amazing and exhausting place.

The Kathmandu most travellers experience is Thamel, a melting pot of hotels, restaurants, bars, souvenir shops, bookshops, imitation trekking gear, pirated DVDs, and touts flogging tiger balm and hashish. But there’s more to this secretive city than meets the eye. The old city is studded with temples and splendid architecture. Sacred cows, holy men, beggars and street urchins roam the streets; and its narrow lanes are bursting with life, echoing sounds of bicycle bells, motorbike engines, religious music, construction and car horns. All the while the streets reek with the smells of incense, spices, sewage and exhaust fumes.

With a fast-growing population of around 1.7m, Kathmandu is Nepal’s biggest and most cosmopolitan city and although the 2015 earthquake brought devastation to parts of the city, many areas emerged unscathed, and the spirit of the city remains.

Highlights

WORK alongside an international team of volunteers to improve the lives of local communities.

HELP build and renovate essential basic infrastructure and educational facilities.

EXPERIENCE life amongst some of the highest mountains and most incredible landscapes in the world.

FEEL safe in the knowledge you will be making a serious and measurable impact in the community.